Former unified welterweight champion Jaron Ennis looks set to do battle with an unbeaten knockout artist.
The 30-year-old from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania remains unbeaten as a professional since his debut nine years ago, stopping 30 of the 34 opponents that he has defeated along the way.
‘Boots’ captured the unified WBA and IBF world welterweight titles with a victory over Eimantas Stanionis back in April, stopping the durable Lithuanian in the sixth round of their showdown at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
His victory over Stanionis will be his final one at welterweight however, after it was announced last month that he will make the move up to super-welterweight next, with his first outing at this new weight class set to take place before the end of the year, potentially October.
Once he is bedded into the division, Ennis’ promoter Eddie Hearn has said that a fight against fellow stoppage specialist Vergil Ortiz Jr will happen in 2026. Ortiz’s promoter Oscar De La Hoya has provided another positve update via DAZN, saying a fight between the pair is ‘inevitable’.
“Look, that fight is inevitable, that fight there with Boots Ennis and Vergil is going to happen, I cannot wait, I believe Boots is tremendous, tremendous boxer-puncher, he’s got the ring IQ, he’s got the confidence. He’s a star. But Vergil Ortiz, when he’s right in front of you, there’s nowhere to hide so I cannot wait for that fight to happen, it’s gonna happen soon and I can’t wait to see it.”
Ortiz currently reigns as the WBC interim champion at 154lbs, recently making the maiden defence of his belt against former WBA super-welterweight champion Israil Madrimov back in February where he outpointed the Uzbek star over 12 rounds in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
